Stringed musical instrument neck mounted light emitting optical display array

ABSTRACT

An attachable and removable Light Emitting Diode array adhesively adhered to the top edge surface of a stringed instrument fretboard and fretboard. The device uses independently wired electronically driven (LED&#39;s) positioned at or near each standard embedded fret location marker and functions as an optical data display system when wired to an electronic audio signal processing device power source that may be mounted inconspicuously on the neck or body of an instrument. Located in such close proximity to the musician&#39;s eyes, the intensity of the display array&#39;s bright emissions of light allows for high visibility of the reference data under all light conditions. The array&#39;s extremely small size and unobtrusive shape does not obstruct the movement of the fretting hand, and the device does not modify, damage, or de-value the original condition of the instrument.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0002] Not Applicable.

SEQUENCE LISTING

[0003] Not Applicable.

FIELD OF INVENTION

[0004] This invention relates particularly to a stringed musical instrument electronic optical display array that is adhesively attached to the top side complete length of the instrument's neck. Its function is to optically display the output of electronic signal processing, calibration, and note location devices separately attached to or within the stringed instrument's body. The invention and the signal generating device are connected by an electrical wire harness. The invention is attachable and removable and does not modify or damage the original condition of the stringed instrument or interfere with the movement of the musician's fretting hand.

DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART

[0005] References cited: 5,637,820 June 1997 Wittman 84/454 5,373,768 December 1994 Scoirtino 84/293 5,396,827 March 1995 Miller 84/454

[0006] Paragraph 1. Stringed instrument players share the problems of trying to correctly observe the small indicator screens and display systems of portable audio signal processing/analyzing devices such as tuners that are typically hidden on the floor in an inconspicuous location relative to the audience's visual point of view during a performance. The small displays are designed be easily integrated into the small body of the processing devices to facilitate easy concealment, portability, and storage.

[0007] Paragraph 2. The consequence of this design trait is a high degree of difficulty in observing the visual information presented due to the limited optical output of the small monitoring displays. Stringed instrument players also share the similar difficulty of trying to visibly locate specific fret positions on the neck by trying to observe the small fret markers either imbedded into, or painted onto the top side of the instrument neck, during low light conditions. Due to the fretting hand movement on the neck of the instrument, visually assistive devices mounted directly on the neck typically cause an undesirable obstruction of hand movement. One previous method used to address these problems have been to imbed a small electronic optical display into the material of the instrument, which requires a permanent and expensive modification of the instrument structure, thus lowering the value and desirability of the instrument. See (U.S. Pat. No. 5,637,820). Other previous methods to address the low visibility of fret position displays have been to either once again permanently and expensively modify or construct the instrument with light emitting devices within the neck structure such as (U.S. Pat. No. 3,943,81) or attach a piece of fiber optic wire strand to the surface of the neck and illuminate it with a single light source (U.S. Pat. No. 5,373,768), which does not offer enough visible light output be useful in any situation other than almost complete darkness, and cannot operate as multiple independent light sources to serve as a display for various audio signal processing devices.

[0008] Paragraph 3. What is needed is a high output electronic optical display device that is attachable and removable requiring no modification of the original instrument, and that will provide a highly visible display of the reference data under all lighting conditions, It must be capable of displaying all of it's reference information clearly and in a manner that is aesthetically pleasing to both the musician and the audience. The device must meet the challenge of also allowing unobstructed playing of the instrument.

[0009] Paragraph 4. While the prior art provides methods to reduce the poor visibility of stringed instrument mounted electronic signal displays without obstructing the playability of the instrument, no prior art is known that provides the suggestion of a complete solution without permanent modification of the instrument's structure.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The invention is a stringed instrument neck mounted electrical optical display array that addresses the aforementioned low display visibility problems through the use of a unique array of light emitting diodes. The array is constructed of an extremely thin contoured transparent and rigid body that encloses circuit boards, electrical wiring, and multiple light emitting diodes. With the invention adhered to the top surface of stringed instrument neck by means of double sided adhesive tape placed underneath the bottom surface of the array and it's wiring harness is connected to the separately mounted signal processing device's output terminals, the invention provides a highly illuminated optical display of the generated reference data. The invention's miniature height/width dimensions and unique shape allow it to be adhered directly to the top surface along the entire length of an instrument fretboard and not interfere with the fretting hand of the musician, while requiring no permanent modification of the instrument's original condition.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Drawing #1

[0012]FIG. 1A Is a perspective view of the LEDs aligned within the transparent rigid body

[0013]FIG. 1B Is a view of the positive electrical wire leads as they connect to the anode of each LED, and protrude out of the end of the array to form the harness.

[0014]FIG. 1C Is a perspective view of the transparent rigid epoxy or polyester body, housing the LED's and forming the unique unobtrusive shape of the array.

[0015]FIG. 1D References the location of the transparent double-sided industrial strength tape that adheres the bottom of the array to the top of the fret-board

[0016]FIG. 1E Is a view of the negative electrical wire lead as it connects to the cathode of each LED, and protrudes out of the end of the array to join the harness.

[0017] Drawing #2

[0018]FIG. 2A Is a perspective view of the optical display array adhered along the full topside length of a stringed instrument neck.

[0019]FIG. 2B Is a see thru perspective of the instrument headstock, displaying the location of the power supply adhered to the back side, out of the view of the audience. FIG. 2C Displays the wiring harness extending from the end of the array, along the front of the headstock, over the top of the headstock and down to the signal generating power supply.

[0020]FIG. 2D Is a perspective view of the stringed instrument fret-board, displaying the location of the array adhered along the fret-board's top side length.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0021] Part #1

[0022] A minimum of ten LEDs are aligned in a row and spaced at intervals according to the desired function of the array, such as pitch calibration display, fret markers, rhythm display, or sequential oscillator (Refer to drawing #1/2 FIG. 1A). The LEDs are electrically connected to the wiring harness by means of either:

[0023] 1. Strands of bare tinned solid wire soldered directly to the anodes and cathodes of the LED circuit boards (Refer to drawing #1/2 FIG. 1B and 1E).

[0024] 2. Soldering the LED circuit boards directly to a flat flexible circuit material such as Kapton that is coated on the top surface with conductive tin or copper etched in the desired wiring pattern with pre-established LED anode and cathode solder points. The flexible circuit material extends out and past the headstock end of the transparent rigid body and is enclosed in transparent flexible tubing to also serve as the wiring harness, connecting directly to the signal source.

[0025] 3. A single elongated LED circuit board spanning the full length of the array, containing multiple mounted diodes and a pre-established wiring configuration, integrating all of the array components into one fabricated unit having only it's headstock end terminals exposed for soldering to the wiring harness.

[0026] The entire LED circuit is then completely and permanently encapsulated in a specially shaped rigid transparent structure of epoxy, polyester, or polystyrene resin by means of suspending the LED cluster inside a metal casting mold designed in the dimensions of the finished product, while the casting resin is pressure injected into the mold

[0027] Part #2

[0028] (Refer to drawing #1/2 FIG. 1C). The array structure is allow to cure and is removed from the mold (Referto drawing #1/2 FIG. 1C). The LED array at that point is in it's final form and the bottom flat surface of the array will be mated to the top side of a strip of double sided transparent adhesive tape having a surface dimension matching the array (Refer to drawing #1/2 FIG. 1D). The array's protruding wire harness (Refer to drawing #2/2 FIG. 2C) will be encapsulated in flexible transparent tubing, and the harness is connected to the electronic signal-generating device (Refer to drawing #2/2 FIG. 2B) who's bottom mounting surface has also been mated to the top side of a strip of double sided adhesive tape.

[0029] The invention is applied by removing the bottom side protective coating of the double sided tapes and attaching the array along the full topside length of the instrument neck and fretboard (Refer to drawing #1/2 FIG. 2A). The wire harness is then threaded between the first two tuning posts on the front side of the headstock, secured in place by a strip of single sided transparent tape, then bent over the top edge of the headstock and pulled down between and past the winding mechanism of the same two tuning posts. The signal-generating device is then attached to the rear of the headstock. The extremely small size and unique shape of the array, combined with the use of double sided tape for mounting purposes, overcomes the fretting hand obstruction problems of all previous neck mounted accessories, and the instrument devaluing of permanent modifications.

[0030] Part #3

[0031] The bright light emissions of the LED array provides highly visible reference data under all dark, low, mid, or high intensity lighting conditions, creating an accessory that is usable and functional at all times.

[0032] The only other device designed to function as an attachable and removable fret marker system is (U.S. Pat. No. 5,373,768). It is simply a length of fiber optic cable that has etched notches at various intervals along it's length and a flashlight bulb is used to illuminate one end of the cable. The fiber cable is placed along the full top-side length of the instrument neck and secured by a length of single sided tape that adheres to the instrument and encloses the fiber cable between instrument and tape. The flashlight beam extends through the length of the cable, escaping at the etched notches and causes the notches to appear to glow in a darkened room. These notches represent the fret positions. The fiber device provides a very low level of illumination and therefore provides no function in a room that has average to good lighting conditions. The fiber optic cable etched notches must always be illuminated as one single group, by the flashlight bulb, offering no independent on/off operation of any individual notches. The fiber optic cable cannot serve as any type of sequential oscillating display or pitch calibration display. My invention shares no manufacturing process with the fiber cable device, nor are there any similar electrical components used in the invention's fabrication. 

What I claim as my invention is:
 1. An attachable and removable electrical optical display array adhered to and extending along the full top side length of a stringed musical instrument neck without modification or damage to the original condition of the instrument, comprising a single array of independently illuminated light emitting diodes and diode clusters fully encapsulated inside a rigid transparent structure that is electrically wired to a separately adhered or embedded electronic audio signal processing device, providing a highly visible display of the processed signal reference data under all lighting or no light conditions without obstructing the fretting hand on the instrument.
 2. An attachable and removable electrical optical display array adhered to and extending along the full top side length of a stringed musical instrument neck without modification or damage to the original condition of the instrument, comprising a single array of light emitting diodes fully encapsulated inside a rigid transparent structure that is electronically connected to a battery driven power supply that is separately adhered to the instrument neck or body, providing highly visible illuminated fret location markers under all light conditions without obstructing the fretting hand on the instrument.
 3. An attachable and removable electrical optical display array adhered to and extending along the full top side length of a stringed musical instrument neck without modification or damage to the original condition of the instrument, comprising a single array of independently illuminated light emitting diodes fully encapsulated inside a rigid transparent structure that is electronically wired to a programmable LED pattern sequencing integrated circuit, to display visually entertaining oscillating light patterns. 